Tobacco-stemming machine.



J. 0. MORRIS. TOBACCO STEMMING MACHINE. APPLIGATION FILED MARA, 190s.nBNnwzD MAY 1o, 1910.

J. O. MORRIS. lTOBACCO STEMMING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 4, 1908.RBNBWBD MAY 1o. 1910.

961,635., Patented Jime14,191o.

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J. 0. MORRIS.

TOBAGGO STBMMING MACHINE. l APPLICATION FILED MAB. 4, 190e. EHNBWED MAY1o, 1910.

Patented June 14, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

, therein disclosed and claimed.

l sult in both mechanisms is citizen of the United States,

srarns naran- Fr @WWE JOHN 0. MORRIS, OF W'SHINGTON, DSTBICT QFCOLUMBIA.

TOBACCO-STEMMING MACHINE.

To all whomv it may con-cern:

Be it known that l, JOHN O. Mouais, a residing at vVlashington, in theDistrict of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful lmprovementsin 'lobacco-Stemming Machines, of which the following is aspecification, ref.- erence being had therein to the accompanyingdrawing.

rlhis invention relates to improvements in tobacco stemming machines,that type of machine which is described and claimed in my co-pendingapplication, Ser. No. 400,873.

The object of my present invention is to arrange and construct adifferent specific form Vfrom that shown in the said application forcarrying out the broad invention The mechanism shown in my saidapplication is constructed to strip the leaf by carrying the .leafitself against a plurality of flexible stripping teeth, and to carry theleaf-stem through the teeth. ln this applica-tion l show a mechanismadapted to cause the stripping teeth to travel against the leaf portionsand past the stem, which is simply the reversal of the operation of themechanism shown in my said application, so far as the relative movementof the stripping teeth and the leaf are concerned. The rethe same, andso far as the result is concerned, it is immaterial whether the leaf andstem being stripped are caused to travel as in my said application,while the plurality of teeth remainquiet, or the leaf and stom he heldquiet or stationary and the stripping teeth moved in respect to the leafand the stem portions, in theA manner herein disclosed. In eitherinstance, it is essential that thc stripping teeth should not have anymaterial rotary stripping action, for, as stated in my saidapplication., l have discovered that if the stripping teetinare givenany material rotary. stripping action the stripped leaf portions aresubstantially ground and are chewed up, whereas if the stripping iseffected by mechanism in which the stripping teeth are devoid of anysubstantial or material rotary stripping action, the leaf portions areremoved from the stem without injury, and the stem is entirely clean.The reasons for this, together with the principle of operation involvedin -the mechanism herein shown, is fully described in my afore-Specieation of Letters Patent.-

and pertains to y Patented J une lill, i910.

Renewed May 10, 1910. Serial No. 560,465.

said application, and if any fuller understanding thereof is desired,reference is here made to that application.

ln the accompanying drawings, Figure l, is a longitudinah'central,sectional view of my apparatus described and claimed herein. Fig. 2, isa vertical, transverse sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3,is a top diagrammatic view showing the positions of the stripping de.-vice and the leaf ginning of the stripping operation. Fig. 5, is adiagrammatic view showing the positions of the stripping device, thestem and the leaf portions, after the stripping operation, and thesucceeding leaf gripped to be carried to its stripping position. Fig. 6,is a diagrammatic view showing that the succeeding leaf to be strippedhas almost overtaken the stripping device in its return movement. Fig.7, is a diagrammatic view showing that the succeeding leaf to bestripped has overtaken the stripping device when the leaf and thestripping device have reached their stripping positions.

ln carrying out my present invention I provide a suitable frame l inwhich are journaled the two upper shafts E2 and the two lower shafts twoof them above. and two below the stripping path, and carry A .at eachend the sprocket wheels 4, around which pass the four chains 5.Connected with these chains at suitable intervals. are clutch devices 6which are adapted tol/hatch the butt end of the leaf to be stripped andcarry it to the stripping posi-tion mid to hold it there while .thestripping operation is performed. These devices for convenience will betermed carrying devices.

The stripping` device consists of a plurality of llexible strippingteeth 7 which project from a head or body S in a direction at rightangles to, or substantially at right angles to the strippino' path, anda en -acting member 9 between W iich the leaf 10 to be stripped isadapted to project as shown in Fig. l. These two members may heaptlytermed a stripping device, or they may be referred to in the plural asstripping devices. However, they move together as a unit when effectingthe stri ping operation. This stripping device exten s acrossthemachine, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, which forms an elongatedleaf-stripping surface,

andthe clutches or grippers 6 are likewise plan view. Fig, 4, is a to bestripped, at the beelongated, whereby the clutches are adapted to gripand carry a plurality of leaves to the stripplngposition, and thestripping device is adapted to simultaneousl strip all the leavesconveyed and held The stripping device has a stripping movementlongitudinal the caf to be stripped, while the leaf is held stationaryby the clutches 6. A plurality of clutches 6 are arranged on thecarrier, and these clutches are adapted to first grip the butt end ofthe stems of the leaves; then carry them to the stripping position, anddischarge the stripped stems, and these functions' are performed by theclutches in succession.

A suitable mechanism is'provided for intermittently impartin a strip ingmovement to the stripping evice, an the mechanism here shown to do thiswill now be explained. Located at each side ofthe machine is a lever 12,and'these levers have their lower ends arranged on stationary pivots 13.The upper ends -of these levers are slidably connected with op ositeends of the head 8, by a slot 14, and in' 15. A driving or power shaft16 extends transverse the machine, and has at its ends the cranks 17 towhichone end of the links 18 are connected, and the opposite ends-ofthese links are connected with the levers 12 intermediate their ends. Asthe shaft I16 revolves the stripping device-is moved back and forth, andthe movement of the stripping device in one direction is its strippingmovement, while its movement in the opposite direction is its returnmovement.

While the stripping device is effectingA its` stripping movement, theclutches 6 for holding the leaves, are stationary, or substantia ly so,but the clutches move as the stripping device returns, and in-the samedirection as, but faster than the return movement 'of the strippingdevice, and will overtake the stripping device by the time it reachesits return movement to again begin its strip ping action. I will nowexplain the mec anism here shown for accomplishing this.

The shafts 2 and 3 which are located adyjacent the drive shaft 16, aregeared together by the gears 19, so that when the shaft Y3 is rotated,the shaft 2 is rotated in unison therewith, andthe chains 5 and clutches6 are caused to travel in unison. A sleeve 20 is loose upon the shaft 3,and this sleeve carries a gear 21 which is constantly in mesh with thegear 22 of the drivin shaft 16. Firmly connected withv the sha t 2 isone member 23 of a clutch, and a co-acting clutch member 24 is `carriedby the geared-sleeve 20. When the two members of the clutch are broughttogether, as shown in Fig. 3, the shafty Sis causedlto revolve, and as aconse- `pencethe chains 5 and clutches 6 are moved.

cam 25 is carried by the'shaft 1 6 and this cam has a. groove 26v inwhich one end of an y the carrier.

`I claim and desire to secure by caused to move and to stand still oncefory every revolution of the shaft 16,4 and the groove is so arrangedand shaped that the carrier remains quiet while the stripping device hasits stripping movement, and to travel during the-return movement of thestripping device, but at a greater rate of speed.

In Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive, I have shown diagrammatically the movementsandrelative positions of the stripping deviceand the clutches. Fig. 4shows their position at the beginning of the stripping movement; Fig.

5 their relative positions at theend of the stripping movement; Fig. 6shows that the clutch carrying the unstripped leaves to their strippingstripping device durin its return movement, and Fig. 7 shows t e clutchB as overtaking the stripping deviceA and holding the unstripped leaves1n position for the succeeding stripping movement ofthe strippingdevice.

A suitable air blast delivering tube or member 32 is located at the endof the stripping movement to blow the stripping leaf out of theleaf-delivering and strip ing path before the succeeding carrier-clutchthat point.

Having thus described my invention, what Letters Patent, is A 1. Atobacco stemmer comprisin a movable stripping device, and a leaf ho derheld against movement in any direction during es reach f position hasgained on the the stripping movement of the stripping de- A vice. y l

2, A tobacco stemmer comprising a leaf holder held against movement inany direction for leaf stripping purposes a movable stripping device,and means for imparting a strlpplng movement to the stripping devicewhile the leaf holder is held against movement.

3 A tobacco stemmer comprising a leaf holder adapted to hold the leafstationary forv stripping purposes, and a stripping device composed of aplurality of closely-disposed flexible teeth movable in a directionlongitudinal the leaf to b'e stripped.

4. A tobacco stemmer comprising a leafi holder adapted to hold the leafstationary for stripping purposes, and a stripping device composed of aplurality of closely-arranged flexible teeth movable only in a'direction longitudinal the leaf to be stripped during the strippingoperation. y

5. IA tobacco stemmer comprising an intermittently-movable leaf carrier,and a stixppng deslce having a strik meut 'While Lhe zurel is quiet.

(3. eimece stemmer compri?" mtendy-mmnble ezx ein' stripping devicehaving :i shipping mevemem in dh te the 1l-vement ef he (ferri T. ...ltobacco Stemme', Qempeng a leaf fietion, and u shipping device having'2L stripping movement while the ennier is quiet, and u "eurn movementwhe Une enrel is moving'.

Stien epposne S. obaeeo Stemma' eem; Leal earner lnferlxuttentbx move)Se u1 ene duestwn, :md e. St-lxpplng device mm1 i l ping meemem Whe thece und n return movement in Ju tien as the earlier uut slower than hement of the Carrier.

9. A tobacco Stripping device comprising a @hu-Miky 01' eoselyau'mngeteeth, and a ce1-acting toothless member between which elle leaf stempasses While being stripped.

l0, obzxcee shipping device comprising e plumty of closely mmnge teeth,and a co-acng tee'fhless member in direct engagementzwth teeh betweenwhich the lea- :stem passes Whe being stripped.

1l. A tobacco stripping evce comprising a plurality 0;? closelyarmugedeeth, and a eo-aeug teothless member adapted to press 'thetobacco stem againstthe teeth.

In e 'tmony whereof l 2.3i); my signature in presence' ef two Witnesses.

J@ N U. MRRS

